Summary
Dark Fantasy Animeis always filled with obscure tropes and villains who commit to their roles despite turning into true monsters in human flesh. The ‘heroes’ in these stories do not fall behind, dangerously walking the line between dark avengers and saviors. Some of them evenbreak the mold and become anti-heroes.
For those fans who enjoy a fascinating Dark Fantasy setting, with tons of obscure twists, hateful villains, and an interesting worldbuilding that will keep them glued to the screen, here is a list of themost grippingDark Fantasy Anime they need to watch.
The opus manga from the legendary Kentaro Miura, made into one of the best Dark Fantasy anime of all time. There are currently two versions of this anime, the original from 1997, which is considerably better than the 2016 version, since it sticks more to the Manga and showcases the origin of Guts and his quest for revenge against the infamous Femto (previously Griffith).
The 2016 version, though many believe, makes a disservice to the original series and the manga, also adds a lot ofvalue of its own to theBerserkworld, showcasing a much more mature Guts, who is already an accomplished dark avenger known as The Black Swordsman. Both versions are good (in a sense), though fans should start to watch from the classic 1997 series, since it covers some of the Golden Age Arc (basically Gutts origin story) and part of the Black Swordsman Arc, the 2016 anime follows up on the Black Swordsman and delves into the Conviction Arc, then follows with the Hawk of the Millenium Empire Arc.
Despite only having one season,Driftersis the prime example of the potential a good Dark Fantasy setting can have, even if the plot is about people sent to another world in an Isekai trope. This anime is based on the manga created by the author ofHellsing(Kouta Hirano), and transports fans into an obscure fantasy realm plagued by an endless war against the Ends, beings from another world summoned by a Dark God to bring destruction over the lands.
As a countermeasure, another God summons the Drifters, people from different time periods like Hannibal Barca, Oda Nobunaga, or Butch Cassidy, who join forces with the local resistance group known as the Octobrists, to fight the Ends and their army of vicious monsters. The enemy is led by The Black King, an unknown entity whose identity hasn’t been revealed yet. The combination of Hirano’s unique character designs and dozens of great plot twists makes this anime one of the best options for those who enjoy dark fantasy.
Übel Blattis a Dark Fantasy anime based on the manga by the author Etorōji Shiono, which tells the story of Köinzell, a mysterious ‘half-elf’ that seeks revenge on those who betrayed him. Tracking down the so-called ‘heroes’ who left him for dead, he meets with lots of quirky characters, like Pipi and Vlad, who join his journey of revenge across the corrupt realm of Szaalenden.
The story mixes lots of references to the Welsh, German, and British folktales, with its own sinister worldbuilding where the cost of magic is tremendously brutal, and betrayal is lurking around every corner.
A dangerous bio-weapon escapes a secret government facility and encounters two teenagers who take her in despite her inhuman appearance and the fact that she is running away from something. But the girl barely knows what being human means, and she is shocked to be treated with kindness for the first time in her miserable life.
Elfen Liedis quite a vanguardist anime, which mixed dark fantasy, science fiction, and psychological horror to create an unforgettable experience, that addressed topics like human experimentation, the origins of the soul, and political corruption. When it was released,it became quite polarizing, drawing the ire of parents all across the world, since it showcased scenes that were on the verge of crossing the line, and was heavily censored in consequence. On the other hand, since it speaks about the systemic racism of society, the author was praised for how they worked around the narrative to address one of the most notorious issues Japanese society was going through.
Claymoreis one of the most representative animeof the genre, with thousands of fans all around the world. A decent adaptation of the manga with the same name, with slight differences and some of its worldbuilding being cut off or abridged.
Still, it is undeniable that the story of these warrioresses with demon blood, doomed to become that which they swore to destroy, is one of the most gripping dark fantasy anime of all time. Unapologetic and filled with action, gore, and gruesome body horror,Claymorehas a special place in the hearts of all those who love grimdark stories.
Gruesome and unapologetic,Goblin Slayeranime is based on the Light Novel by the same name, and in time, it is based on a long-run homebrew campaign ofDungeons and Dragons(or a similar system) since many of the rules of the world where this story is set are similar to that of the popular TTRPG.
For fans who are expecting to see a perfect hero challenging the demon lord, and bathing himself in glory: Turn around right now.Goblin Slayeris a dark fantasy storyabout a young man who was so deeply traumatized by a raid on his village that he swore to exterminate all the goblins in the world. And he does just that, episode after episode, with the occasional intervention of his most trusted allies, and constant near-death experiences for them.
Vicious monsters roam the dreadful nights, a solitary girl draws a Japanese sword and swores to exterminate them, a mysterious ‘butler-like’ figure acts as her custodian: All of these elements constitute the background narrative of Blood+, a powerful mixture of Dark and Urban Fantasy, with Gothic Horror sprinkles.
The story of how Saya, pretending to be a normal girl, infiltrates human society to rid the world of beings like her (Chiropterans) who serve her twin sister (Diva), constantly trying to overthrow the world order and drown the planet in blood. It is a good anime that some might consider a must-watch classic.
Re: Zerois considered one ofthe best Dark Fantasy animeof all time, and for many reasons. At first glance, the story of how Subaru Natsuki is transported to the Kingdom of Lugunica might look like the run-of-the-mill Isekai anime, but watch a little closer, and a twisted plot about a guy cursed with immortality and all that implies comes into fruition.
Subaru’s Return from Death is first seen as a useful skill, but the weight of having to repeat traumatic experiences over and over quickly takes a toll on him, damaging his psyche to the point of almost breaking him down. The story turns darker and darker, with Subaru dying over and over, until he finally realizes that dying and repeating his mistakes is not the right answer.Re: Zeroowes its popularity to its non-stop gripping (and gory) action scenes, and the dark and twisted worldbuilding behind the Wtiches' Cult and their plan to sow chaos across Lugunica.
